Breathing
by AppleL0V3R
Summary: She is the grim reaper and he was assassin who was murdered. There wasn't supposed to be a common interest, at least not that way. NaruIno. AU. Will be completed after Black Stripes.
1. Dead

**Title:** Breathing

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Uzumaki, Naruto and Yamanaka, Ino

**Chapter:** One – Dead

**Rating:** T

**Type:** Story – Incomplete

**Summary:** She is the grim reaper and he was assassin who was murdered. There wasn't supposed to be a common interest, at least not that way.

**Word Count:** 230

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard it before, then it's obviously not mine

..:Xx0o0xX:..

This wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't. But it did. So now what is he supposed to do? He's _dead_. What happens now? Is he just to float around for eternity? He didn't know.

Poof.

"Well hello, there." a bright, perky, feminine voice stated. What could she want? He eyed her warily; he couldn't help it. Is she dead too?

"Are you dead as well?" his cold tone didn't seem to bother her, not faze her in the slightest. That grabbed his attention. Doesn't she know who he is, or does she just not care?

"In a way, yes I am." she answered without skipping a beat.

"Who are you?" he tried again.

"Me? Well, Uzumaki, Naruto" how does she know his name? Is she out to get him too? Or just someone who has heard of him? She most certainly hasn't been a victim or unintentional victim. "I am Yamanaka, Ino. I'm what you would call the Grim Reaper."

Perky women say what?

* * *

Next Chapter: Newsflash  
Next Update: January - 10

Thanks for reading, sorry for shortness (this was originally intended to be a prologue), review pleae, criticism is forever welcome


	2. Newsflash

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Chapter:** Two – Newsflash

**Type:** Story – Incomplete

**Word Count:** 1,038

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard it before, then it's obviously not mine

..:Xx0o0xX:..

"Isn't the Grim Reaper supposed to be a skeleton with a black cloak and large scythe?" Naruto asked trying to grasp at what she had just said. She is wearing an eggplant purple kimono with a pink obi. She has platinum blonde hair held back in a high pony tail with one strip of bangs left out and large amusement lit ocean blue eyes to match. Her eyes were actually two tone, she had no pupils and the black rim surrounding the ocean blue color was wider and somehow caused the rings near it to turn a dark blue. She looked more of a goddess than the Grim Reaper

"Oh no silly, that's just how humans seem to picture the face of Death, then again, they also think 'The Devil'" She honestly lifted up both small hands and used air quotes. "is some sadistic red creature with horns and a pointy tail and rules some icy cold place called Hell. Wrong." Wrong? So everything we are taught as kids and learn throughout life is wrong?

Naruto had learned during his carrier to just except the information he is given and detect any lies in others' words. Yamanaka is either an excellent liar or she's telling the truth. "Okay…so then what is the truth?"

"Laterrrr" she sang as she moved to grab his arm, obviously dodging his question.

Naruto pulled back, not easily trusting whether she was telling the truth or not. "Why not now?"

"Right now, we have to go see His Majesty and correctly place you in the system."

"His Majesty? System? What the hell?" Naruto sputtered, confused and caught off guard. Who the hell is this woman?

"Suppose you'll just have to follow me and see." The blonde woman chimed perkily.

Still Naruto didn't budge.

"What's the point of trying to trick someone who is already died, Mister Too-Cautious-For-Your-Own-Good" She snapped, "Besides, I'm the Head Psycopomp, and my job is to get you into the system. Nothing more, nothing less." He hesitated. "Where would it get me by deceiving you?"

"You tell me." He finally responded.

And so she did, "Nowhere."

He blinked, all his life he'd been accustomed to the give-and-take balance. No one did anything for him unless he did something for them; there was always a secret agenda. So of course not easily trusting and overly cautious was the only way to go. These traits also saved his skin a lot of times and taught him that not everything is what it appears.

Yamanaka is a prime example. So how in the hell does she think that he'll just trail after her without a better reason? A child could spout the same nonsense she is right now and be convincing about it too. So why should he believe her?

He shouldn't, but what other choice did he have for the moment? And besides, he's already dead, how could it get any worse for him? So, he followed at the most cautious pace that he could without making it stark obvious. Not that he cared if he hurt her feelings by making it noticeable, he just usually didn't make his intentions clear to others. This was another habit that had saved his life on multiple occasions.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

With every passing second, he became increasingly confused as to how to respond to this perky blonde that talked too much about nothing and everything. He'd never had the luxury of it without reading between the lines to figure out what they were really saying. Yet no matter how he tried to find a pattern in her words, he could find nothing. She just babbled unceasingly and he became more confused. The topics were simple enough, politics, music, sports, pass times, people she hated or liked, who her close friends were, and even the occasional question directed at him that he fumbled to answer not sure what to say. He didn't know if he was supposed to lie, tell the truth or something in between. He didn't know if she knew when he was doing any one of the three, or how she really wanted to react. But after he answered, she'd just start off again, sometimes on a whole knew topic or a response to the answer of some sort. But one thing he did notice was that she deliberately avoided who did what and what was going to happen to him. Why? Did she think he didn't realize it? Or did she do this to every person who had just died and was going to be placed in the 'system'? He was really starting to get frustrated with whole ordeal.

Then, "Oh hey looky, we're here."

Here is a large room with some large desk at the front and a chair to match along with someone seated in it. This someone looked human for the most part. He had grey hair that leaned more to the left while defying gravity all the way and for the most part, his face was covered up, the only feature actually seen being his right eye which was pure black.

"Hello Sir" Yamanaka chirped

He looked up, "Hello to you too Ino, what brings you here?"

She gestured to the blonde male slightly beside her and to her left. "This is Uzumaki, Naruto, he just recently died." Then she turned to aforementioned male "Naruto, this is His Majesty"

How many more times is he going to say 'Say what?' to this female? Because this would be number two if he was counting right. And he honestly didn't know if he wanted to go for

three.

* * *

Okay so firstly, because I don't do this much (explaining myself about story content), I don't remember where I heard it or if it's right but 'Pyscopomp' was one of Hermes' (from Greek Myth) jobs. It is initially just guiding people into and out of the Underworld. So I don't know if it really fits here but I used it anyway. If I'm incorrect here I would appreciate it if someone would point it out.

Next Chapter: Implacable, I Can't Move On  
Next Update: March - 10

Thanks for reading, sorry for shortness, review please, criticism is forever welcome.


	3. Implacable

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Chapter:** Three – Implacable, I Can't Move On

**Type:** Story – Incomplete

**Word Count:** 1,839

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard it before, then it's obviously not mine

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Ino watched the blonde haired use-to-be assassin with amusement; it seemed no matter who they were, they all reacted similarly. Some try to hide it and some don't even bother, but it's still the same reaction. Shock, disbelief and awe. Quite funny actually. Naruto was hiding his as if he does it all the time, but then he did kill important people for money, it'd only make sense that he knew how to hide his emotions.

"So what happens now?" and apparently he's quick to recover. Been a long time since she ran into someone like him.

His Majesty sighed. "Well…you actually were supposed to die months before now. You cheated the system…so I've got a lot of paperwork to do. Which means you probably won't even be put into the system for a few months. You can do as you wish." This actually wasn't an uncommon thing; that was how humans ended up with haunted homes and such. Dead people who didn't follow the system, cheating it or otherwise.

"Do I have to stay here?"

"No." Ino answered still smiling, "You can go anywhere you wish and do anything you want. No restrictions. But if you deliberately cause us trouble you won't like us when you have to come back. Got it?"

He looked at her for a long moment before nodding.

Happy that she'd gotten her way, the Queen of the River Styx smiled even wider, "Great! Now that that's settled, do you have any unfinished business that you'd like to attend to? I can be your guide if you want." Not for long, she did after all have other newly dead people to tend to and such. Even if this one _is_ hot and all with his blonde spiky hair, honest to goodness ocean blue eyes and tan skin, she still couldn't abandon all her work. Not for a guy. And he did just die so she should probably wait to hit on him. You know, like a grace period.

Again he gave her a hard long look but before he could respond it suddenly occurred to Ino that they were still in His Majesty's office. Oops. Without really thinking about it, she reached for his arm and dragged him out. Though the second they were out of the giant twin doors, he yanked the nicely muscled limb from her dainty fingers. "What do you think your doing?"

Oh right. Assassin, natural distrust, likes his personal space. Double oops. "Sorry. I forgot your profession but honestly." oh no. Not good. She was going to say something offending now, she should shut up before she got ahead of herself. But did she? "You're dead. And besides, it's not like I'm going to do anything to you. I mean seriously, just get over the space-bubble thing you have going on. No one else is going to heed it." No.

And it was really probably only her. She'd been at her job for so long she'd long forgotten such a concept as personal space and giving people time to heal. Everyone else though…they were constantly going in and out, switching jobs, placed in whole new areas.

She was the keeper of the dead and His Majesty's personal assistant. She had to stay put in both job and location. So she tended not to be as awkward. Actually, she'd lost all her awkwardness over a thousand years ago at least.

See the idea was to keep people off balance so that they did their jobs properly, when they started getting comfortable they started making mistakes. That couldn't be allowed to happen, so it was an implemented thing that no one be comfortable. Except for those nervous people who messed up when they were in an awkward situation. They are actually put through some kind of facility to change that type of mind set. Which of course was kinda wrong, but that's why the living were left to their own devices because when they get here they would be reformed slightly to be uncomfortable all the time.

And take it from somebody who knows, it sucks. She was probably the most awkward – okay now she's starting overuse that word. New topic necessary like immediately. – out of everyone since right after she died – so very, very long ago – she was placed in her current job first thing. Forget the system. And no one had actually told her _why_. She still needed to figure that out…

Oh well, she had a very long time still to do that. Why be in a hurry to get it done now?

It was then that she realized her blonde current charge was gone. Like ka-poof no where in sight gone. Great, now she had to go find the newly dead guy before he gets into something he shouldn't be in. Well, at least it gives her an excuse to simply walk around. Not really, but still. A girl needs a break _sometime_ doesn't she? Of course she does.

Smiling to herself, she couldn't help but hum some tune that she couldn't place as she searched out Naruto's soul. She'd learned along time ago – first thing if she was correct – that everyone had a soul. There were never any two same souls, even in twins. The soul does have to transfer bodies and leave them too so therefore it has to be different.

He was five corridors down, two halls to the left and heading towards the hell department. Huh. Well that made sense; he'd killed so many people while alive it was only natural that such a place would pull him. She wondered if he realized where he was going as she picked up her pace. He wasn't in the system, so if he went there now then they wouldn't be able to retrieve him like they could others. He'd be lost to the grasp of the one who rules there forever.

That would be a horrible way to spend eternity. A shiver rattled her bones from head to toe at the thought of it.

It didn't take long to come in to sight. "Hey! You don't want to go that way!" She exclaimed, waving her arm like the maniac she had the ability to be.

He paused in his quick gait and turned his to watch her until she was beside him. "And why not?"

"I don't imagine you want to go to hell just yet." The platinum blonde woman answered candidly.

So blue eyes blinked once as if the information needed a moment to sink in. "Oops." He muttered.

She grinned, he'd just slipped up and there was no way she was going to let him forget it. In her profession where everyone is always in and out of her life she'd long since learned to take any and all opportunities presented to her when they are. "I knew you'd get used to me. No one is immune to my charm." She was only teasing of course.

Not that he saw it that way; he raised a yellow-blonde eyebrow then eyed her from her head to her toes as if seeing her for the first time. "Nah. You're just transparent." Then he was walking back the way he came.

It was her turn to blink confusedly. Did he just say she wasn't charming? Oh that bastard! "Hey!" she shouted again rushing after the admittedly handsome guy. Though if he loosened up a little, she would like that much better, she was sure of it. She wasn't just the queen of the dead, but also the queen of fashion and boys, so she knew what she was talking about. And she was also sure she could get him to crack before he had to leave. "That was mean! I was only teasing, you didn't have to say I wasn't charming, you know."

He glanced at her with a mischievous look splattered on his features, he was quickly acting more like the him that he'd buried so long ago to do his job properly. It was disturbing how only a few minutes with her could start cracking his carefully constructed mask when no one before her could. Then again, he is dead. No point in acting cold-hearted anymore. "I didn't say that. I said you were transparent."

Again she stopped in her tracks, eyebrows knitting together. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He paused and looked her, his much deeper shade of blue meeting her two-tone without pupils one directly. "It means you can't lie. Though I don't suppose you have a need to." He shrugged and continued on. She blinked and for what seemed the hundredth time hurried to fall in-step with him.

"Is that good or bad?"

"Good. It means I can trust you."

She smiled. "Trust? Hmm, I don't know…" She was back to teasing

He rolled his eyes "Can't you ever be serious?"

She stuck her tongue out childishly. "Yes! I just don't prefer too, so there."

"Nope. I think you're a complete child."

"And you aren't. I bet inside you respond like a child."

He quieted. "It would have been easier if I'd chosen a different profession…"

She also grew sober and asked before she could shut up. "Why didn't you?"

Blonde spiky locks went everywhere when he shook his head, "That's a long story."

"You have something better to do?" She asked before realizing that was insensitive of her. In all honesty, she found that if she acted like it was just another journey for people to take then they moved on faster. It didn't really occur to her that some people would be hostel towards such an attitude. Now that she thought about it though, she did come across some who seemed to be snappy and angry with her for her bubbly and all-smiles attitude. "Sorry, that was–"

"Fair game." He interrupted, already used to her blunt way of doing things. He'd liked that approach himself, but couldn't always use it in his line of work. Now, hopefully, he could. "No I don't have anything better to do, but I would like to go back down to earth. That's possible right?" There was something he wanted to do.

Ino nodded, "Yep, until we've placed you, you can do whatever you want to."

"And your coming?"

She laughed. "Believe it or not, I've got nothing better to do either. His Majesty has two Grim Reapers and an assistant for when we're busy." It made life easier. The assistant did a lot of paperwork and the other Reaper did what she did. They were also stuck in their positions for all eternity. The assistant had been around longer but the Reaper had come after her.

Only four exceptions to the system. His Majesty: Hatake, Kakashi, Grim Reaper number 2: Uchiha, Sasuke, Personal Assistant: Haruno, Sakura and herself, Grim Reaper number one.

* * *

Next Chapter: Life and Death  
Next Update: June

Thanks for reading, sorry for shortness, review please, criticism is forever welcome.


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